A Cheap Pool Cooler

[VOLDADDY]

I installed my pool coolers on my returns tonight and I must say so far so good. As soon as I installed them I turned the pump on and jumped back in. The water spraying back into the pool is about 10 degrees cooler. You can put your hand in the water and then stick it in the spray and it is day and night difference. It was very refreshing as I was swimming my laps to swim past the spraying water. Unfortunately, I have algae starting to develop in my pool so I shocked it and put my Aquabot in. I am leaving the pump running all night with the coolers attached. My water was a yucky 91 degrees tonight, and we have nothing but 95+ days ahead with heat indexes of over 100. I am hoping to get it under 85 degrees. Now I have to kill the algae!

[VOLDADDY]

Wow. My water temp was a miserable 91 Thursday night around 10 PM. Today, my water temp was a wonderful 82. Now, we did get a storm yesterday, but my water never cools this fast with just rain. I say if your water is too hot you definitely need to buy these, or be creative like Dave and fabricate them yourself. Now that I see them and see what they are in person, they don't look like they would be that hard to make yourself. It does work!

[VOLDADDY]

Hey Dave,

Quick ? for you. I have left the pool coolers on my pool since I have had them, about a week and 1/2 now. My water has stayed a delightful 81-82 degrees, and we set a record for consecutive 95+ days here. I know my water would have gotten back to 91+ uncomfirtable degrees like it was prior to me adding the coolers if I didn't have them. Do you leave yours on all the time as well? We are supposed to finally get some rain and highs in the 80's for a couple of days, so I am thinking of removing them, as I don't want my water to get to 75! TIA.

[duraleigh]

Hi, Vol,

I do not leave mine on. Since a circulate the water approx 8-10 hours daily, I point the evaporator into the air on days I feel I need to cool the pool. On days I don't feel the need, mine simply pivots downward into the water and I'm back to normal operation. Pretty convenient.

As an update, Raleigh had two consecutive 96+ days last week and my pool's highest temp was 84....running daytime only for 10 hours. I know you can't get something for nothing but this comes pretty darn close for me. Ran it pointed up all day yesterday 'til dark and water this AM was 79 degrees! It'll be pointed down all day today.

[VOLDADDY]

BRRRRR! I went out to do my weekly testing this morning, and my water is at 75 degrees! I am going to remove them and screw the eyeballs back in. Once my water gets back above 85, I'll put them back on. The kids love them as they play in the spray.

One interesting thing Dave, my skimmer seemed to work better with these on both of my returns. I was afraid it would be rendered useless since the water wasn't circulating as normal. I think I will adjust the eyeballs so the water kind of dies in front of the skimmer. Before, I would watch the debris float by the skimmer. Going to have to put the fur panties on underneath the bathing suit to swim today, but it beats the 91+ I had prior to adding the coolers, as my water would probably be 100 now, and you feel like you are marinating in a crock pot instead of swimming.

[duraleigh]

Going to have to put the fur panties on underneath the bathing suit to swim today

Vol,

More info than we needed!

[lmnharris]

I just finished plumbing in my new pump, I think I have almost everything needed already. I'm gonna get on it right now. We've had daytime highs of 92-106 for 23 days straight.

[duraleigh]

The T is threaded so I can slightly unscrew it 'til the "jets" point downward.

You could certainly use the line from the booster. Wont hurt the pump. Probably shoot the water VERY high making up for the low volume you would expose to the evaporative process. I'm not sure of the results but mine was/is an experiment, also.

[Poolsean]

I would suggest that rather than a cap on one end, glue a ball valve so that you can control the amount of spray out of the "jets". This way, if you didn't want a high spray (especially on a windy day where you will lose water), you can open the ball valve to adjust the spray your desired height. This will also allow you to adjust the heat loss so you're not swimming in cold water in the middle of summer.

[VOLDADDY]

I took my pool coolers off last week when my water hit 75, and this morning it is back to about 84. I'm sure it will get to 86 or so this afternoon. Time to break them out again!